


in recompense

by falterth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Concealed Identity, Drabble, Gen, Rated Teen for mentions of death, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 16:04:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15822288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falterth/pseuds/falterth
Summary: “Hanako-san,” a small voice says. “When can we go home?”She wronged them in the past, but she'll make up for it this time.





	in recompense

It’s surreal—being at a festival again, that is. Sakura hasn’t been to one in years. Not since—well, she doesn’t like to think about it, and so she turns her thoughts to the fireworks in the sky, and the laughter of children and the smooth silk-creases of kimonos. She remembers trying to catch fish with them. She remembers the hot-sweet-crumble of taiyaki on her tongue. Remembers masks pulled this way and that.

Someone bumps into her and she scowls on instinct, but upon seeing who it is, Sakura is suddenly glad for the mask the hides her wary expression.

“Hanako-san,” a small voice says. “When can we go home?”

“In a bit, Sasuke-kun,” Sakura replies, crouching down to ruffle his hair. “I want to see the festival for a few minutes. Oh, but—is it too loud for you? Do you need to go home now?”

Sasuke nods, pushing up his wooden cat mask so that he can look at her. His little eyes are wide, and scared, and Sakura scoops him up into her arms.

“Then we will go home. But first, we must find Naruto-kun,” she says, and tries not to think about a life where she’d killed him, about a life where she had nothing to live on but spite and recklessness and regret.

He nods, and quickly drops his head down onto her shoulder. She smiles, just a little quirk of the lips, and sets off to find her other charge. As expected, Naruto is off near Teuchi’s festival stand, using the money she’d given him to sample every flavor he can.

“Naruto-kun,” Sakura calls. His face is buried in a bowl of what looks like miso ramen with . . . eggplant. She makes a face under the mask, because hadn’t that been Kakashi-sensei’s favorite? “Sasuke-kun wants to go home. I can ask Teuchi-san to pack up some containers for you, okay?”

Naruto nods enthusiastically, slurping down the rest of his ramen. Sakura asks Teuchi for three containers to-go, and hands over the money as the old man readies the broth and noodles. He packs them up into a plastic bag, hands her a little box of vegetables, and then gives her another container.

He winks at her. “This one’s on the house, for my most frequent customer.”

She peeks inside the box, and five sticks of dango peek back at her. Sakura smiles widely. “Thank you very much, Teuchi-san.”

“No problem,” he replies easily.

Naruto makes grabbing motions toward her, and she shakes her head, pointing to Sasuke. “He’s sleeping. I know you want me to carry you, but I don’t want to wake Sasuke-kun up. Next time I’ll carry you, okay?” Naruto pouts, and it is an _almighty_ pout, but Sakura stays strong. “Next time. And would you hold the takeout for me please?”

Naruto deflates, but holds his hand out so Sakura can give him the plastic bag. “Okay, Hanako-san. Promise!”

She laughs. “I promise.”

They walk home, Sasuke drooling on her shoulder and Naruto’s hand clutching her own as tight as he can. She has to have Naruto fish the apartment key out of her pocket and unlock the door for her. “You can give the food to me now. Thank you, Naruto-kun. Go brush your teeth and change into your sleeping clothes, okay?” Naruto nods and dashes off to their bathroom.

Sakura smiles and waits until she can hear him brushing to put the leftover ramen and dango in the fridge, and then she heads into their bedroom. She lowers Sasuke down gently and tucks him into the right side of the bed, and Naruto into the left, when he comes back from brushing his teeth.

“Bedtime story?” Naruto asks, eyes wide and pleading.

Sakura feels her heart melt. “Not just today,” she says. “I’m pretty tired from having to herd Sasuke around everywhere. I’ll tell you two stories tomorrow, though.”

Naruto grins at her and nods, quickly turning over in the bed and pulling the covers around himself. Sakura ruffles his hair before picking up a change of clothes and heading to the bathroom. She stops for a minute before putting her pajamas on, to stare at herself in the mirror. She’s got scars everywhere. Sakura traces the one on her chest with a gentle hand and tries to put it all out of her mind. She shakes her head to clear her thoughts and continues on with her bedtime routine.

When she’s done, she quietly flicks off all of the lights in the apartment and carefully crawls into the space between her two little boys.

She wronged them in the past, but she’ll make up for it. For Naruto and Sasuke, there is nothing she will not do.

Sakura falls asleep and dreams of peace.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed!


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